Forklifts are one of the most common types of equipment used for lifting and transporting heavy and/or bulky materials. The forklifts find particular use in manufacturing and warehousing operations involving large amounts of materials that cannot be efficiently lifted and transported by hand. Forklifts are available in many variations and are divided into multiple classes based on mechanism of operation. Because forklifts routinely lift and transport large, bulky, and heavy materials, it is of the utmost importance that the materials are stabilized during lifting and transportation. As a result, all forklifts are outfitted with a load backrest that is bolted to the forklift carriage. The carriage moves vertically along the forklift mast rails when lifting and lowering the forks. As any loads lifted by the forks are exposed to the mast rails, the load backrest prevents the loads from becoming unstable and falling backwards onto the mast rails. A common problem encountered when manufacturing or replacing the load backrest component of forklifts is the widely varying dimensions of the carriage component. This is due to the fact that there is no set of standards regarding the dimensions of forklifts. When replacing load backrests, manufacturers are required to create many variations of the load backrest component in order to accommodate the widely varying dimensions of individual forklift models. As a result, manufacturers face increased costs in purchasing and shipping the individualized load backrests. The process also results in logistical time delays. Finally, manufacturers are required to allocate warehouse space for storing the individualized load backrests. The present invention seeks to address the aforementioned issues and provide a practical and convenient solution.
The present invention is a load backrest that is adjustable with regards to size. The load backrest is universally mountable on all models of forklifts In its preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a load backrest featuring a three piece design. The load backrest comprises a first support, a second support, and a central connector. The first support and second support are nested within the central connector and may slide along the central connector. By sliding the first support and second support along the central connector, a user may increase and decrease the size of the load backrest. The first support and second support are locked in place on the central connector by tightening bolts through elongated and slotted holes on the first support and second support. Alternatively, the three pieces of the load backrest may be permanently welded together following adjustment. The load backrest is mounted to the carriage by bolting the first support and second support to the left side and right side of the carriage. The first support and second support feature additional elongated and slotted openings that are designed to accommodate for varying bolt spacing arrangements across individual models of forklifts.
The object of the present invention is to provide a universally mountable load backrest that addresses a number of issues faced by forklift manufacturers. The present invention eliminates the need for manufacturers to purchase and store varying load backrests for individual models of forklifts. As such, manufacturers may universally utilize the present invention when replacing load backrests. This increases manufacturer efficiency while reducing incurred costs brought upon by the multiple types of load backrests.